Independence Bowl Player Profile & More

2006 PetroSun Independence Bowl Player Profile, History & More

Oklahoma State (6-6) vs. Alabama (6-6)

Dec. 28, 4:30 p.m. ET, ESPN

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By Richard Cirminiello

Independence Bowl Player Profile
WR Adarius Bowman, Oklahoma State – Beast mode.  It’s a term that Bowman likes to use to describe his mindset once a game begins.  The junior likes it so much, in fact, he actually made it a permanent part of his body—“Beast” inked on the right arm and “Mode” on the left.  You won’t get an inch of push back from opposing defensive backs, who tried to contain the first-year Cowboy in 2006.  In sports vernacular, Bowman genuinely was a beast this fall, catching 57 passes for 1,131 yards and 11 touchdowns, while copping All-Big 12 first team honors.  His stat line in the Oct. 14 game with Kansas—13 catches for 300 yards and four touchdowns—looked like something from the old Hart Lee Dykes files.  Bowman is a physical 6-4 and 220 pounds with considerable room for growth as a receiver, despite the impressive regular season numbers and penchant for turning short routes into long gains.  Believe it or not, he’s only been playing football since his junior year of high school, choosing basketball instead, and still needs some polishing with his route running and ball-catching skills.  His decision to attend North Carolina upon graduation from high school was largely due to a promise that he could play basketball as well as football for the Tar Heels.  Poor decisions and poor academics, however, complicated Bowman’s stay in Chapel Hill, resulting in a suspension and a transfer to Oklahoma State, a boon to both sides.  With the help of Cowboy receivers coach Gunter Brewer, he’s completely turned his life around on and away from the football field with no plans on turning back.  Bowman occasionally flirted with the idea of leaving early to the NFL, but will hone his game in Stillwater instead, a ghastly thought for Big 12 secondaries that must face him in 2007.            

Best Cowboy Bowl Moment – In one of the great offensive displays in postseason history, Oklahoma State shellacked Wyoming 62-14 in the 1988 Holiday Bowl.  The Cowboys cranked out 698 yards and 34 first downs behind Heisman winner Barry Sanders’ 222 yards and five touchdowns on the ground and a near- perfect passing performance from current head coach Mike Gundy.

Best Crimson Tide Bowl Moment – With an NCAA-record 54 invites and 30 victories, you can make a credible argument for about ten different games.  By a sliver, the nod here goes to the 1979 Sugar Bowl over the 1993 Sugar Bowl.  Both produced national championships, but the 14-7 win over top-ranked Penn State more than a quarter century ago featured an epic, game-saving goal line stand from the ‘Bama D that’s etched in the memory of everyone that witnessed it. 

Alabama's best win ... Alabama 25 ... Hawaii 17
Alabama survived a late scare as Hawaii's comeback attempt was halted by a Lionel Mitchell interception in the end zone with no time left on the clock. After a rough first half, Hawaii and QB Colt Brennan got red-hot throwing two touchdown passes including a 31-yard strike to Ryan Grice-Mullen to put the pressure on the Tide. Alabama had a nightmare of a time running the ball, but QB John Parker Wilson had a great first game throwing a touchdown pass to Keith Brown. Leigh Tiffin kicked three field goals for the Tide.

Alabama's worst loss ... Mississippi State 24 ... Alabama 16
Mississippi State stunned Alabama as Quinton Culberson took an interception 51 yards for a touchdown and the defense held Alabama to two field goals in the second half and kept the Tide offense out of the end zone. For the second straight year, Alabama didn't get an offensive touchdown against MSU with Jeffery Dukes scoring on a 24-yard interception return in the second quarter. MSU's offense was held to 274 yards and didn't score in the second half, but it got two Michael Henig touchdown passes in the first half throwing 25 yards to Tony Bucks and 13 yards to Jamayel Smith.

Oklahoma State's best win ... Oklahoma State 41 ... Nebraska 29
Nebraska got up 23-13 on two Brandon Jackson touchdown runs and a 22-yard pass play from Zac Taylor to Maurice Purify, and then Oklahoma State kicked it in with a 45-yard touchdown pass to Adarius Bowman with :16 left in the first half as part of a 28-point run with Dantrell Savage scoring his second rushing touchdown of the game, Julius Crosslin pounding it in from one-yard out, and Nathan Peterson putting a cap on things with a 19-yard fumble recovery for a score. Nebraska managed a five-yard touchdown pass to Purify with five seconds to play, but it was way too late.

Oklahoma State's worst loss ... Houston 34 ... Oklahoma State 25
The two teams put on an offensive show with 955 yards of total offense, but things slowed down late when a heavy downpour kicked in. The Cougars were able to break open a close game with a seven-yard touchdown catch early in the fourth quarter. OSU had two late drives, but misfired on a fourth down pass and later lost a fumble on the Houston five. Kevin Kolb threw four touchdown passes highlighted by a 42-yard scoring play to Donnie Avery, but Oklahoma State's Bobby Reid was up to the ask throwing a 75-yard scoring pass to Adarius Bowman and two touchdown passes to D'Juan Woods.

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Oklahoma State Bowl History (10-6)

2004	Alamo	Ohio State 33, Oklahoma State 7
2003	Cotton	Mississippi 31, Oklahoma State 28
2002	Houston	Oklahoma State 33, Southern Miss 23
1997	Alamo	Purdue 33, Oklahoma State 20
1988	Holiday	Oklahoma State 62, Wyoming 14
1987	Sun	Oklahoma State 35, West Virginia 33
1985	Gator	Florida State 34, Oklahoma State 23
1984	Gator	Oklahoma State 21, South Carolina 14
1983	Bluebonnet	Oklahoma State 24, Baylor 14
1981	Independence	Texas A&M 33, Oklahoma State 16
1976	Tangerine	Oklahoma State 49, Brigham Young 21
1974	Fiesta	Oklahoma State 16, Brigham Young 6
1958	Blue Grass	Oklahoma State 15, Florida State 6
1948	Delta	William and Mary 20, Oklahoma A&M 0
1945	Sugar	Oklahoma A&M 33, St. Mary's 13
1944	Cotton	Oklahoma A&M 34, TCU 0

Alabama Bowl History (14-20-1)

2005	Cotton	Alabama 13, Texas Tech 10
2004	Music City	Minnesota 20, Alabama 16
2001	Independence	Alabama 14, Iowa State 13
1999	Orange	Michigan 35, Alabama 34
1997	Music City	Virginia Tech 38, Alabama 7
1996	Outback	Alabama 17, Michigan 14
1994	Citrus	Alabama 24, Ohio State 17
1993	Gator	Alabama 24, North Carolina 10
1992	Sugar	Alabama 34, Miami 13
1991	Blockbuster	Alabama 30, Colorado 25
1990	Fiesta	Louisville 34, Alabama 7
1989	Sugar	Miami 33, Alabama 25
1988	Sun	Alabama 29, Army 28
1987	Hall of Fame	Michigan 28, Alabama 24
1986	Sun	Alabama 28, Washington 6
1985	Aloha	Alabama 24, USC 3
1983	Sun	Alabama 28, SMU 7
1982	Liberty	Alabama 21, Illinois 15
1981	Cotton	Texas 14, Alabama 12
1980	Cotton	Alabama 30, Baylor 2
1979	Sugar	Alabama 24, Arkansas 9
1978	Sugar	Alabama 14, Penn State 7
1977	Sugar	Alabama 35, Ohio State 6
1976	Liberty	Alabama 36, UCLA 6
1975	Sugar	Alabama 13, Penn State 6
1974	Orange	Notre Dame 13, Alabama 11
1973	Sugar	Notre Dame 24, Alabama 23
1972	Cotton	Texas 17, Alabama 13
1971	Orange	Nebraska 38, Alabama 6
1970	Bluebonnet	Alabama 24, Oklahoma 24
1969	Liberty	Colorado 47, Alabama 33
1968	Gator	Missouri 35, Alabama 10
1967	Cotton	Texas A&M 20, Alabama 16
1966	Sugar	Alabama 34, Nebraska 7
1965	Orange	Alabama 39, Nebraska 28
1964	Orange	Texas 21, Alabama 17
1963	Sugar	Alabama 12, Ole Miss 7
1962	Orange	Alabama 17, Oklahoma 0
1961	Sugar	Alabama 10, Arkansas 3
1960	Bluebonnet	Alabama 3, Texas 3
1959	Liberty	Penn State 7, Alabama 0
1953	Cotton	Rice 28, Alabama 6
1952	Orange	Alabama 61, Syracuse 6
1947	Sugar	Texas 27, Alabama 7
1945	Rose	Alabama 34, USC 14
1944	Sugar	Duke 29, Alabama 26
1942	Orange	Alabama 37, Boston College 21
1941	Cotton	Alabama 29, Texas A&M 21
1937	Rose	California 13, Alabama 0
1934	Rose	Alabama 29, Stanford 13
1930	Rose	Alabama 24, Washington State 0
1926	Rose	Alabama 7, Stanford 7
1925	Rose	Alabama 20, Washington 19

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